Calvin Pardee family letters

1903-1996, 1.75 linear feet

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

circa 1940-1975, 4 linear feet

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

circa 1925-1983, 4.5 linear feet

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

1892-1951, 3.5 linear feet

01

Calvin Pardee family letters

circa 1929-1951, 0.5 linear feet

01

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held
at the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library. Unless
otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our
reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Calvin Pardee (1841-1923) was born in Hazelton, Pennsylvania to the owner of a successful coal-mining company, which Calvin
continued with his brother after the Civil War. He volunteered for the Union Army when the war broke out, and was present
for the Battle of Antietam although he was declared unfit for duty and resigned very soon after. Calvin's brother Ario (1839-1901)
was a famous Union officer known for defending of a portion of Culp's Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg. Most of the Calvin
Pardee family letters, 1860-1862 were written to or written by Calvin Pardee while he served in the 28th Regiment, Pennsylvania
Volunteers. There are also many letters by or to Calvin's brother, Ario (Jr.).

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a membership organization for Civil War veterans. Descendants of Civil War veterans
are eligible for membership in Sons of Union Veterans (SUV). The Grand Army of the Republic Museum & Library fragmentary records
group, 1867-1995, is comprised of incomplete records from various GAR and SUV organizations, consisting of one record or volume
per Post/Camp. Common record types in the collection are membership records, Death Benefits Association records, cemetery
books, and war memorial sketch books detailing of veterans' Civil War service.

Summary Information

Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library Civil War soldiers' records collection

Date [bulk]:

1961-2011

Date [inclusive]:

1861-2011 1961-2011

Call Number:

10

Extent:

9 Linear feet

General Physical Description note:

20 boxes

Language:

English

Abstract:

The Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library Civil War soldiers' records collection, 1861-2011, consists primarily of
photocopies of records held elsewhere. About 1/3 of the records come from Pennsylvania soldiers, but there are also records
for soldiers from other states.

Linear footage is a very rough approximation, as there are many items framed and on display throughout the museum and library.

Language:

English

Abstract:

The Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library photograph collection, circa 1850-2011, depicts a wide range of subjects
relating to Civil War history. There are photographs from the Civil War era, later photographs of Grand Army of the Republic
posts and Sons of Union Veterans camps, and recent photographs of historic sites, and historical reenactments.

The bulk of the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library scrapbook collection, 1862-2000, consists of scrapbooks about
the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). There are also scrapbooks on the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) and
personal scrapbooks on other topics.

Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library subject files, 1865-2011 (bulk 1975-2011), focus around topics relating to the
Civil War and its legacy. The bulk of the collection is made up of photocopies, copies of secondary histories, and printed
ephemera, although there are some original, unique documents.

E. D. Baker Post No. 8 was active in Philadelphia, PA, from the 1860s to the 1930s. The Membership Records of E. D. Baker
Post No. 8, Grand Army of the Republic, 1866-1931, include member's names, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, details
on service in Civil war, as well as other details.

Summary Information

Post History Records of the Anna M. Ross Post No. 94, Grand Army of the Republic

Date:

1897-1910s

Call Number:

RG-094

Extent:

1.5 Cubic feet ((3 volumes in 3 boxes))

Language:

English

Abstract:

G.A.R. members established Anna M. Ross Post No. 94 in Philadelphia on November 17, 1874. The Post History Records of the
Anna M. Ross Post No. 94, Grand Army of the Republic, 1897-1910s, are made up of war memorial sketch books detailing members'
Civil War service.

The Anna M. Ross Camp No. 1 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was established in 1879 in Philadelphia as a beneficial
association for descendants of Civil War veterans. The Records of Anna M. Ross Camp No. 1, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil
War, 1879-1953, consist of administrative, financial, and membership records.

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans,
servicemembers and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most
influential nonprofit groups in the United States. The records of Benjamin Franklin Post No. 405 (Philadelphia, Pa.), American
Legion, 1919-1992, includes financial, administrative, and membership records, as well as newsletters.

The Grand Army of the Republic Ellis Post No. 6 was founded in 1879 by General Louis Wagner in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.
The Records of Ellis Post No. 6, Grand Army of the Republic, 1879-1939, consist of financial records, membership records,
and war memorial sketch books detailing members' Civil War service.

The Garfield Lodge No. 19 was a women's auxilliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The Records of Garfield
Lodge No. 19, Order of the Shepards of Bethlehem, 1899-1917, consist of four volumes of minutes of the lodge.

Summary Information

Records of General D. B. Birney Post No. 63, Grand Army of the Republic

Date [inclusive]:

1874-1935

Call Number:

RG-063

Extent:

1.5 Cubic feet ((5 volumes in 3 boxes))

Language:

English

Abstract:

The General D. B. Birney Post No. 63 was formed in Philadelphia in 1874. The Records of General D. B. Birney Post No. 63,
Grand Army of the Republic, 1874-1935, consist of administrative, financial, and membership records.

The J. K. Taylor Post No. 182 was established in 1869 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was active until the 1920s. The Records
of J.K. Taylor Post No. 182, Grand Army of the Republic, 1869-1944, consist of administrative, financial, and membership records.
There are also general orders, scrapbooks, correspondence, Burial Fund Association records, and descriptions of members' Civil
War service.

Summary Information

Records of Joel Searfoss Camp No. 273, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Date [inclusive]:

1903-1996

Call Number:

05

Extent:

1.75 Linear feet

General Physical Description note:

7 flat boxes

Language:

English

Abstract:

Records of Joel Searfoss Camp No. 273, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1903-1996, consists of administrative, financial,
and membership records, as well as records from the Ladies' Aid Society auxiliary.

The Grand Army of the Republic Post No. 2 was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Records of Post No. 2, Grand Army
of the Republic, 1870-1950s, consist of administrative, financial, and membership records from Post No. 2 as well as General
Orders, scrapbooks, and correspondence. There are also war memorial sketch books which contain detailed histories of member's
service in the Civil War.

Summary Information

Records of the Captain O. A. Luckenbach Camp No. 182, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Date [inclusive]:

1936-1952

Call Number:

RG-012

Extent:

0.5 Cubic feet ((1 volume and one pamphlet in 1 box))

Language:

English

Abstract:

Captain O. A. Luckenbach Camp No. 182 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was active in Bethlehem, PA, in the mid
twentieth century. The Records of the Captain O. A. Luckenbach Camp No. 182, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1936-1952,
contains administrative records of the Camp.

Colonel Lytle Post No. 240 was chartered on April 10, 1882 and was active in Eerie, PA, in the late nineteenth/early twentieth
century. The Records of the Colonel Lythe Post No. 240, Grand Army of the Republic, 1882-1910s, consist of administrative
and membership records.

Summary Information

Records of the Death Benefit Association, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Date:

circa 1940-1975

Call Number:

07

Extent:

4 Linear feet

General Physical Description note:

4 boxes

Language:

English

Abstract:

The Records of the Death Benefit Association, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, circa 1940-1965, consists primarily
of beneficiary payment records. There are also proofs of death, a minute book, and additional financial records.

Summary Information

Records of the General George G. Meade Camp No. 16, Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War

Date [inclusive]:

1881-1966

Call Number:

RG-016

Extent:

3.5 Cubic feet ((13 volumes and 3 items in 7 boxes))

Language:

English

Abstract:

The General George G. Meade Camp No. 16, Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War was a beneficial association for the
descendants of Civil War veterans. The Records of the General George G. Meade Camp No. 16, Sons of the Union Veterans of the
Civil War, 1881-1966, consist of administrative and membership records of the Camp, as well as reports from the Relief Committee,
Proceeding of Annual Pennsylvania Department of Encampments, and several plaques and resolutions.

Summary Information

Records of the Home for Veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic and Wives

Date [inclusive]:

1892-1951

Call Number:

RG-003

Extent:

3.5 Linear feet

Language:

English

Abstract:

The Home for Veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic and Wives in Philadelphia was established in 1894 as a place for Civil
War veterans and their spouses to spend their later years. The records of the Home for Veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic
and Wives, 1892-1951, document the administration of the Home and many aspects of the daily lives of the residents.

Summary Information

Records of the Ladies' Auxiliary to Phil Kearney Post No. 1, Grand Army of the Republic

Date:

circa 1929-1951

Call Number:

04

Extent:

0.5 Linear feet

General Physical Description note:

4 flat boxes

Language:

English

Abstract:

Phil Kearney Post No. 1 of the Grand Army of the Republic was established in Newark, New Jersey in 1866. A Ladies Aid auxiliary,
Kearney Circle No. 1, was organized in 1880 to help prepare for a fair, and continued until at least 1951. The Records of
the Ladies' Auxiliary to Phil Kearney Post No. 1, Grand Army of the Republic, circa 1929-1951, includes: four minute books,
1929-1951; membership proposition book, circa 1920s-1940s; correspondence with and histories of other circles, circa 1930s-1950s;
and printed song booklets.

Biography/History

"Calvin Pardee was born on July 17, 1841 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania to budding industrial entrepreneur Ariovistus ("Ario")
Pardee, [II], and Elizabeth (Jacobs) Pardee. The success of Ario's firm A. Pardee and Co. in the anthracite coal business
soon made him a leading citizen of Hazleton. Calvin had an older brother, Ariovistus Pardee III, and two younger sisters,
Alice and Ellen Eliza Pardee. Their mother Elizabeth died in childbirth in 1847, and a year later Ario married Anna Maria
Robinson, with whom he had ten children, eight of whom survived past childhood.

"In 1851 Ario sent his two eldest sons to school at the Luzerne Presbyterian Institute in Wyoming, PA. A dispute with the
headmaster in the fall of 1854, however, prompted Ario to withdraw Calvin from the school and send him to the West Jersey
Collegiate Institute in Mt. Holly, NJ where his older brother Ario was by then studying. Calvin was admitted to Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY in 1857, two years after his brother Ario had enrolled. The boys boarded together for a
year until Ario graduated in 1858. Calvin was a member of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity during his three years at Rensselaer.
He graduated in 1860 in a class of eighteen students.

"After graduating Calvin went to Easton, PA to work for the Glendon Iron Company, of which his father was the primary owner.
In April 1861 at age nineteen, however, he enlisted in the army at the start of the Civil War, serving first with Company
D, 1st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and then as a second lieutenant with Company N, 28th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers,
a company funded by his father. This unit saw several minor engagements and held defensive posts and in September 1862 was
present at the battle of Antietam. Calvin, then a captain, had a renewed attack of typhoid fever the day before the battle.
Despite his desire to return to the army, he was declared unfit for further duty and resigned on October 30, 1862.

"Calvin spent the next 22 years working in his father's business, A. Pardee and Co., in Hazleton as the superintendent of
mines, a position held by his brother before the war. He married Mary Byrne Day on June 4, 1867, and they became parents of
nine children: Estelle, Alice, Calvin, Alfred, Ario, Ellie (who died in childhood), Olive, Howard, and Helen. In 1884 he left
his father's company in order to pursue his own initiatives, including widespread ventures in coal, gas, and other enterprises
in both Hazleton and beyond. He was already operating the Pardee Brothers Company, which he formed to develop the Lattimer
mines near Hazleton. It was the largest source of his own fortune and was passed on to his children in 1903.

"In 1886 Calvin moved to Philadelphia with his family and three years later purchased a summer farm in Whitemarsh sixteen
miles outside of the city. Upon completing their schooling his sons Calvin, Alfred, and Ario joined the family businesses
in Philadelphia and Hazleton. With them to share responsibilities, Calvin began diverse enterprises in West Virginia, Virginia,
Kentucky, and Louisiana in land, coal, and other interests. In his later years Calvin began to travel throughout the world,
including ventures to Europe, the Far East, Egypt, and Russia. His devotion to his family was fondly remembered by his descendents,
and he hosted large numbers of Pardees at his summer home every year. In the spring of 1922 his health began to fail, and
he died on March 18, 1923. He was survived by six of his children and his wife Mary, who died ten years later."

Biography/History

"The Grand Army of the Republic [GAR] was a fraternal organization founded after the Civil War to provide all veterans of
the Union Armed Forces with a forum for social and political activities and as a venue for debate and reminiscence of their
service in the Civil War." (Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library)

"The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was a creation of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which was formed in 1866.
Wanting to pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created a Corps of Cadets in 1878 which later became
the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV)... In 1904, the SV elected to become a patriotic education society
and in 1925 changed its name to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)... Prior to disbanding and before the death
of its last member, the GAR officially designated the SUVCW as its successor and heir to its remaining property. On August
20, 1954, the SUVCW was officially incorporated by an Act of Congress by the passing of Public Law 605 of the second session
of the 83rd Congress." (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War)

Bibliography:

Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library. "Museum Informational Brochure." Accessed January 18, 2012. http://garmuslib.org/

Biography/History

Biography/History

Biography/History

"The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization founded after the Civil War to provide all veterans of the Union
Armed Forces with a forum for social and political activities and as a venue for debate and reminiscence of their service
in the Civil War." (Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library)

"The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was a creation of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which was formed in 1866.
Wanting to pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created a Corps of Cadets in 1878 which later became
the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV)... In 1904, the SV elected to become a patriotic education society
and in 1925 changed its name to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)... Prior to disbanding and before the death
of its last member, the GAR officially designated the SUVCW as its successor and heir to its remaining property. On August
20, 1954, the SUVCW was officially incorporated by an Act of Congress by the passing of Public Law 605 of the second session
of the 83rd Congress." (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War)

Bibliography:

Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library. "Museum Informational Brochure." Accessed January 18, 2012. http://garmuslib.org/

Biography/History

"The Grand Army of the Republic [GAR] was a fraternal organization founded after the Civil War to provide all veterans of
the Union Armed Forces with a forum for social and political activities and as a venue for debate and reminiscence of their
service in the Civil War." (Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library)

"The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was a creation of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which was formed in 1866.
Wanting to pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created a Corps of Cadets in 1878 which later became
the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV)... In 1904, the SV elected to become a patriotic education society
and in 1925 changed its name to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)... Prior to disbanding and before the death
of its last member, the GAR officially designated the SUVCW as its successor and heir to its remaining property. On August
20, 1954, the SUVCW was officially incorporated by an Act of Congress by the passing of Public Law 605 of the second session
of the 83rd Congress." (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War)

Bibliography:

Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library. "Museum Informational Brochure." Accessed January 18, 2012. http://garmuslib.org/

Biography/History

"The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization founded after the Civil War to provide all veterans of the Union
Armed Forces with a forum for social and political activities and as a venue for debate and reminiscence of their service
in the Civil War." (Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library)

"The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was a creation of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which was formed in 1866.
Wanting to pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created a Corps of Cadets in 1878 which later became
the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV)... In 1904, the SV elected to become a patriotic education society
and in 1925 changed its name to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)... Prior to disbanding and before the death
of its last member, the GAR officially designated the SUVCW as its successor and heir to its remaining property. On August
20, 1954, the SUVCW was officially incorporated by an Act of Congress by the passing of Public Law 605 of the second session
of the 83rd Congress." (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War)

Bibliography:

Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library. "Museum Informational Brochure." Accessed January 18, 2012. http://garmuslib.org/

Biography/History

Biography/History

G.A.R. members established Anna M. Ross Post No. 94 on November 17, 1874. It initially operated from a location at the southeast
corner of Girard Avenue and Hutchinson Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is not known when the Post disbanded.

Biography/History

Anna M. Ross Camp No. 1 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was established on April 24, 1879. The Camp began as
the Cadet Core of Anna M. Ross Post No. 94. It adopted the use of Camp in its title on November 26, 1880. The Camp was originally
part of the Sons of Veterans organization, but which was renamed Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War after a split
occurred in the original organization. The Camp had numerous different locations throughout North Philadelphia including:
1033 Girard Avenue, 1919 West Girard Avenue, 952 North 11th Street, 1303 W. Girard Avenue, and 208 East Girard Avenue.

Biography/History

"The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans,
servicemembers and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most
influential nonprofit groups in the United States. Membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across
the country. Today, membership stands at over 2.4 million in 14,000 posts worldwide. The posts are organized into 55 departments:
one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.

"Over the years, the Legion has influenced considerable social change in America, won hundreds of benefits for veterans and
produced many important programs for children and youth."

Bibliography:

The American Legion. "History," Accessed December 29, 2011. http://www.legion.org/history

Biography/History

Biography/History

General Louis Wagner founded Ellis Post No. 6 in 1879. The Post was active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century
in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The post dispersed its funds in 1928 to its remaining twenty-two members, which
suggests the beginning of the disbanding of the Post.

Biography/History

The Order of Shepherds of Bethlehem was a women's auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. A meeting at the
Anna Camp’s building at Girard and Hutchinson organized October 30, 1899. The camp was instituted at the hall of Star of the
East Lodge No. 2, Order of Shepherds of Bethlehem, by the WG Commander Lady Eva Wyckoff with approximately 60 charter members.

Biography/History

General D. B. Birney Post No. 63 was formed on August 21, 1874 by G.A.R. members of previously existing Posts. The first muster
was on September 11, 1874. The wives of the Post members formed an auxiliary core on March 15, 1876. The Post originally met
at Shober’s Hall on Girard Avenue and Eyre Street in Philadelphia, PA, but later moved to different locations throughout the
Frankford and North Philadelphia sections of the City. The Post started with twenty-three members and eventually rose to 386,
but membership began to drop after the 1890s. It is not known when or how the Post disbanded, although there are no records
after 1935.

Biography/History

G.A.R. members established J. K. Taylor Post No. 182 on May 25, 1869 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Post was active from
that date until the late 1920s. On November 19, 1923, the Post turned over its hall, furniture, and carpet to the Capt. O.A.
Luckenbach Camp of the Son’s of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). The Camp agreed to take care of the financial responsibilities
of the hall and allowed the Post to continue to meet in the hall following the transfer. On January 4, 1924, the J. K. Taylor
Post dispersed its funds to the remaining thirty members. They continued to meet until June 1929; the last meeting minutes
are recorded on June 7, 1929.

Biography/History

Biography/History

The headquarters of Post 2 was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Members of Post 2 were made up of members from Post 1, which
was dissolved into Post 2. The Post was active in numerous GAR activities including preparing memorial day services for veterans
and maintaining its own orchestra. In the early 1900s, as numerous GAR posts began to disband throughout the city, and members
began to pass from age, Post 2 eventually became the last remaining Post in the city. Since Post 2 was the last remaining,
the final resting place of many Post’s records and artifacts was with Post 2. Post 2 later became defunct and turned all of
its records and property to S.U.V.C.W. Philadelphia Camp. It is the property and materials of Post 2 turned over to the Philadelphia
Camp that eventually formulated the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library. The last member of the original Post 2,
Col. Samuel P. Town, died in 1937.

Biography/History

Biography/History

"The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was a creation of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which was formed in 1866.
Wanting to pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created a Corps of Cadets in 1878 which later became
the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV)... In 1904, the SV elected to become a patriotic education society
and in 1925 changed its name to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)... Prior to disbanding and before the death
of its last member, the GAR officially designated the SUVCW as its successor and heir to its remaining property. On August
20, 1954, the SUVCW was officially incorporated by an Act of Congress by the passing of Public Law 605 of the second session
of the 83rd Congress."

Biography/History

"The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was a creation of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which was formed in 1866.
Wanting to pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created a Corps of Cadets in 1878 which later became
the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV)... In 1904, the SV elected to become a patriotic education society
and in 1925 changed its name to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW)... Prior to disbanding and before the death
of its last member, the GAR officially designated the SUVCW as its successor and heir to its remaining property. On August
20, 1954, the SUVCW was officially incorporated by an Act of Congress by the passing of Public Law 605 of the second session
of the 83rd Congress."

Biography/History

Biography/History

The Home for Veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic and Wives was established in 1894 and appears to have been in operation
until 1951. The Home admitted ailing Civil War veterans and their wives. It was located on the southwest corner of 65th and
Vine Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the former summer home of Peter Swift Loftis. Julia P. Shade, MD, was the founder
and first President of the Home. The Home was rebuilt in 1903 by Charles Webber Bolton.

Biography/History

Phil Kearney Post No. 1 of the Grand Army of the Republic was established in Newark, New Jersey in 1866. A Ladies Aid auxiliary,
Kearney Circle No. 1, was organized in 1880 to help prepare for a fair. The ladies auxiliary continued until at least 1951.

Scope and Contents

Most of the letters in this collection were written to or written by Calvin Pardee while he served in the 28th Regiment, Pennsylvania
Volunteers. There are also many letters by or to Calvin's brother, Ario (Jr.). The letters have been transcribed and are in
no apparent order. There are a few receipts and other documents in the collection.

Scope and Contents

The following Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUV) records consist of records
located at the G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library that are incomplete, consisting of one record or volume per Post/Camp.
The records are primarily from GAR Posts and SUV Camps throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey; there are single
records for Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Illinois and California. Some of the record’s Post/Camp names and numbers were
not identified at this time. Some records significant to GAR and SUVCW only, and are described below:

Description of Record Types Found in the Fragmentary Records Group

Black Books are records of applicants to GAR posts who were rejected for membership. An internal copy of the black book was kept at the
post and a copy was sent to the Department. The black books detail the applicant’s name, rank, company, regiment or vessel,
and information regarding his rejection or dishonorable discharge, which is preceded by information on which Post had black
balled the applicant, the location and date of rejection, and the general order number as to why the applicant was rejected.
The rejected, or black balled, applicants are listed alphabetically in the black books.

Burial Fund Association Records – Burial Fund Associations were sub-organizations within many GAR posts in which members contributed to a fund to aid widows
and children with veterans’ burial expenses. In many posts it was also known as the Death Benefits Association or D.B.A.

Cemetery Books (or Burial Places of Our Deceased Comrades or Burial Records) document the burial places of deceased members and the dates
of their deaths.

Descriptive Books contain detailed information on the posts’ members, including: member’s name, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, details
on their entry into military service and final discharge (which includes date, rank, company, and regiment), length of service,
cause of discharge, details of GAR membership, and remarks (which include death notices or notices of membership ending through
leaving or transferring).

Member Applications contain materials submitted to or compiled by GAR posts in regard to applications of individuals for membership. The records
include applications forms, transfer cards, proof of service certificates, applications for admission to the Soldiers and
Sailors Home, and correspondence. These records are particularly rich in information on prospective members’ lives and military
service.

War Memorial Sketch Books record the details of post members’ service in the Civil War, including dates of enlistment and discharge, rank, units in
which they served, battles and campaigns in which they fought, if they were injured, the benefits to which they were entitled,
and other information. There is also often information on the veterans’ personal lives and details of their membership in
the GAR. The information in War Memorial Sketch Books was apparently originally recorded on Memorial War Sketch Forms (see
below) and it was from these forms that the post historian extracted the information and entered it into the Memorial War
Sketch Book.

Scope and Contents

The Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library Civil War soldiers' records collection consists primarily of photocopies
of records held elsewhere. It is arranged into four series. The first four boxes area arranged alphabetically by soldier's
name, and contain photocopies of records housed at the National Archives. The next eight boxes are arranged by state, and
contains very few original documents in addition to photocopies. Next, seven boxes contain records of Pennsylvania veterans
organized by Grand Army of the Republic post. The last box contains miscellaneous "Personal records" arranged by soldier.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

The Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library photograph collection depicts a wide range of subjects relating to Civil
War history. Photographs from the Civil War era show Civil War scenes, soldiers, and related personalities. Later photographs
show members of various Grand Army of the Republic posts and Sons of Union Veterans camps, both individual portraits and group
or activity photographs. There are also photographs of historic sites, historical reenactments, and Civil War-related tourism.

A wide range of photographic formats is represented in this collection, from tintypes and daguerreotypes, to stereoviews and
cartes de visite, to contemporary photographic prints.

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library scrapbook collection consists of scrapbooks about the Grand
Army of the Republic (GAR), although there are also scrapbooks on the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) and
personal scrapbooks on other topics.

There are eight scrapbooks of general orders, half from the National GAR (1866-1879, 1880-1887, 1888-1900, and 1902-1923)
and half from the Pennsylvania Department GAR (1867-1877, 1878-1882, 1883-1887, and 1887-1901). There are also six newspaper
clippings scrapbooks on the GAR and the SUVCW.

Personal scrapbooks in the collection include scrapbooks created by Caroline E. Moeckel on topics like the Civil War in popular
culture (e.g.
Gone With the Wind) and Gettysburg, 1939-1947; an unattributed clippings scrapbook on the Boxer Rebellion and the Spanish American War, circa
1898-1901; and a personal newspaper clippings scrapbook, 1862. Another unattributed scrapbook contains death notices, cemetery
listings, and letters relating to GAR posts in the state of New York.

This collection also includes a number of scrapbooks and photograph albums created Clarence and Caroline Riddell. Clarence
J. Riddell was Commander-in-Chief of the SUVCW from 1975-1976. The scrapbook and three photograph albums relate to SUVCW and
the Riddells' vacations to Civil War historic sites in the 1970s.

In the Library of the GAR Museum, there is a series of five volumes on the "History of the GAR Museum and Library through
Newspapers and Photographs" put together by Herb Kauffman. These scrapbooks consist mostly of newspaper clippings (many photocopied)
with some photographs and scattered correspondence and ephemera, 1900-2000 (bulk 1980s-2000).

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the collection is made up of photocopies, copies of secondary histories, and printed ephemera, although there
are some original, unique documents. Of special interest are four boxes of original GAR materials: newspaper clippings, invitations
and ephemera, correspondence, receipts, 1866-1940; and one box of original photographs, letters, and ephemera, circa 1865,
donated by Heather McCauley.

The photocopies and publications focus around topics relating to the Civil War and its legacy. Civil War-related subjects
include Abraham Lincoln, Civil War prisons, the Battle of Gettysburg, etc. There are files on particular Civil War regiments
and troops in Philadelphia, notably 90th Pennsylvania Volunteers, 104th Pennsylvania, First City Zouaves, and other African-American
troops. There are also files relating to Civil War memory, such as reenacting, Gettysburg, and other historic sites. The Grand
Army of the Republic and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, of course, are well-represented in the files, and there
are veterans' obituaries, cemetery lists, and other related resources.

Additional unprocessed materials, stored in the Museum attic, may not yet be available to researchers. These include about
.4 linear feet of Harold T. Beilby papers, 1977-1978; Gettysburg Centennial Programs, 1963; and miscellaneous papers in the
southwest corner file cabinet.

Scope and Contents

The records of E. D. Baker Post No. 8 cover the years 1866 to 1931. The records consist of one series: Membership Records.
It is not known how the G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library acquired the records or if additional records survived or existed.

Series I: Membership Records - This series contains a descriptive book and a descriptive book abstract. The descriptive book is one bound volume with
entries that run from April 1866 to 1885. The volume contains detailed information on the G.A.R members, including: member’s
name, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, details on the entry into service and final discharge (which includes date,
rank, company, and regiment), length of service, cause of discharge, the details of his G.A.R. membership, and remarks (which
include death notices or membership ending through leaving or transferring). The E.D. Baker Post Descriptive Book, unlike
other posts’ descriptive books, also includes the name of the member who recommended the initiate. There are 1,469 members
described in the book and the eight charter members of the Post are described in the beginning.

The descriptive book abstract is a typed, stapled, loose-leaf paper that has abbreviated entries from the descriptive book.
It is fastened together, but not in order. The document is probably from the 1900s. It is not known whether this is an original
post record or something compiled later.

Scope and Contents

The records of Anna M. Ross Post No. 94 consist of one series, Post History records, spanning the years 1897 to the 1910s.
It is not known how G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library acquired the records or if additional records survived or existed.

Series I: Post History: The Post History series consists of three bound war memorial sketch books. The books record in detail the history of Post
member’s service in the Civil War and information on their membership in the G.A.R. The information in the sketch books was
originally recorded on memorial war sketch forms, which were forms that the Post Historian used to compile the war memorial
sketch book.

The three volumes of Anna M. Ross Post No. 94’s War Memorial Sketch Books begin with an index of member names. Each member
has his own page in the book. At the bottom of each member’s page, the member and the Post Historian certify the accuracy
of the information presented.

The Anna M. Ross Post No. 94 Memorial War Sketch Books were presented to the Post by Mrs. W. H. Kemble in 1897. The books
were large ornate volumes the pages of which consist of pre-printed forms to be filled out. Working from 1897 to approximately
the 1910s, the Post Historian compiled the information in the volumes. Volume One’s supplemental section contains a detailed
history of Post member Henry K. Lukens, brief histories of other Post members, resolutions to aid families of deceased members,
and lists of the deaths of members dating from December 3, 1875 to December 22, 1909, with a cemetery record. Volume Two’s
supplemental section contains cemetery records.

Scope and Contents

Additional unprocessed records from Camp 1 may not yet be available to researchers.

In the Archives room, unprocessed shelves, are stored several minute books (circa 1930s-1945), loose financial papers (death
benefits), bank statements, and a ledger (death benefits, 1940s). There is also a large box of completely unprocessed records.

In the Museum attic, under the southeast eaves, additional financial records and correspondence, 1920s-1950s, are stored.

Scope and Contents

The records of Anna M. Camp Post No. 1 consist of three series and one subgroup and span the years 1879 to the 1953. It is
not known how G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library acquired the records or if additional records survived or existed. The post's
charter is stored in the Museum attic.

Series I: Administrative Records - This series consists of minutes of the Camp’s meetings and a roll book of officers. The minutes span 1879 to 1953, with
missing minutes for the years 1937 to 1941. The minutes are in bound volumes and numbered by the Camp in chronological order.
The minutes book for April 7, 1911 to November 17, 1916 contains numerous ink drawings dedicated to members’ passing and done
by a C.H. (K?) Faust. The meeting minutes for April 24, 1879 to March 31, 1882 show the Camp’s beginning as a cadet core and
then its formation into an SUVCW Camp. The 1882 Camp Charter is in the GAR museum.

The roll book of officer’s is an attendance book of Camp members that includes a list of early officers. It is one bound volume
that dates from 1903 to 1942.

Series II: Financial Records - The financial records series consists of an account book, House Committee Account Books, and Camp Treasurer’s Quarterly
Reports books. The account book is one bound volume dating from November 1900 to March 1901. The House Committee Account book
is one bound volume dating from 1917 to 1925. The Camp Treasurer’s Quarterly Reports Book is one bound volume dating from
July 12, 1946 to October 19, 1948.

Series III: Membership Records - The descriptive book is one bound volume dating from 1880 to 1939. It has an alphabetical index to the names listed in
the volume. The SUVCW descriptive books contain information on Camp members’ ages, birthplace, residence, occupations, and
muster. The books also include information on Camp members’ fathers’ or grandfathers’ Civil War service, such as the family
member’s name and military service details, including date of entry into service, unit served in, and particulars of discharge.

Subgroup I: Camp No. 1 Guards Series I: Administrative Records - The Minutes of the Camp No. 1 Guards date from July 28, 1898 to January 9, 1915 and consist of one bound volume. It is
unknown if any minute books preceded this volume.

Scope and Contents

The records of Benjamin Franklin Post No. 405 (Philadelphia, Pa.), American Legion, includes financial, administrative, and
membership records, as well as newsletters. The financial records date from about 1927 to 1933, and include bank statements,
cancelled checks financial correspondence, a receipt book, and budgetary committee reports. The administrative records include
meeting minutes and correspondence, circa 1930-1933, and Executive Committee minutes, 1979. The membership records include:
renewal cards, 1931 and 1992; applications, 1947; member lists, 1978 and 1991-1992; and correspondence and thank-you letters,
circa 1980-1992. There is also some event ephemera.

Newsletters from Benjamin Franklin Post No. 405 are bound together with newsletters from two other Philadelphia posts of the
American Legion, Taylor E. Walthour Post No. 282 and Post No. 174. The newsletters date from 1921 to 1929.

This collection also includes some meeting minutes, 1919-1923, from Taylor E. Walthour Post No. 282.

Scope and Contents

Additional unprocessed records from Camp 200 may not yet be available to researchers.

In the Archives room, unprocessed shelves, are records pertaining to the General Hancock Fund (to restore the tomb of the
Civil War General), 1975-1977: scrapbook, correspondence, fundraising records, and restoration work meeting records. There
is also a dues book (circa 1944-1950), bills paid (1958-1960), and letters sent to the Sons of Veterans Club (1940s).

In the Museum attic, there is a letter-box, a box in the southeast corner, and a box on the desk in the southwest corner.
The letter-box contains correspondence and reports of Kenneth T. Wheeler, 1976-1977. The box in the southeast corner contains
a cash book (1927-1934), minutes (1927-1933), printed by-laws, reciept books (1930s), and additional financial records (returned
checks, bank statements, etc. from the 1930s). The box on the desk in the southwest corner contains Camp 200 correspondence,
quarterly reports (1978), and a dues book.

Scope and Contents

The records of Camp 200 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War cover the years 1912 to 1978 and consist of eight bound
volumes and 2 loose items. The records are organized into two series, Administrative Records and Financial Records. It is
not known how the G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library acquired the records or if additional records survived or existed. The
Administrative Records series consist of four bound minute books dating from 1934 to 1978. The minute book dating June 29,
1971 to July 23, 1963 contains an alphabetical directory of members and their addresses. The Financial Records series has
two bound ledger books dating from 1912 to 1950, a 1928dues book, a roll book of officers from 1926 to 1952, and two loose
items that contain duplicate copies of Camp Secretary’s Quarterly Reports dating from 1935-1943. The roll book of officers
has certificates of merit from the camp tipped into its pages.

Scope and Contents

The records of Ellis Post No. 6 cover the years 1879 to 1937 (bulk 1879-1908). They are arranged in four series: Financial
Records, Membership Records, General File, and War Memorial Sketch Books. The records consist of three bound volumes, one
folder, and seven binders. The seven binders contain member applications and are maintained separately from the main record
group. It is not known how the G.A.R. acquired the records or if additional records survived or existed.

Series I: Financial Records: The Financial Records series consists of one member account book covering the years 1879 to 1884, with some information that
dates to 1904. The member account book lists names of individual members and records their dues payments.

Series II: Membership Records: The Membership Records series consists of member applications that are housed in binders that are maintained separately from
the rest of the record group. They member application forms and related records such as transfer cards, applications for admission
to the Soldiers and Sailors Home, Proof of Service certificates, and correspondence. The applications document the lives and
military service of applicants for membership in the Post.

The records are sleeved, filed alphabetically in binders, and indexed. The Ellis Post No. 6 applications consist of seven
binders organized as follows: A-C, D-G, H-K, L-M, N-R, S-U, and V-Z. There are over a hundred applications within each of
the binder. There is an index to the series compiled by Eugene Stackhouse. Tipped into the V-Z binder is 1928 correspondence
that discusses dividing the funds of the Post to the remaining members, memorial publications for 1921 and 1937, a financial
report for 1928, and correspondence.

Series III: General File: This series contains one file of miscellaneous items including a record of which members completed a war memorial sketch form,
a newspaper clipping about the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (S.U.V.C.W.), and a program booklet from a May 1917
memorial service.

Series IV: Post History: The Post History series consists of two bound war memorial sketch books. The books record in detail the history of Post members’
service in the Civil War as well as information on their membership in the G.A.R. The information in the sketch books was
originally recorded on a memorial war sketch form, which the Post Historian used to compile the memorial war sketch book.

The volumes are entitled Personal War Sketches of the Members of Ellis Post No. 6 of Germantown, Philadelphia. Each volume
contains three hundred forms to be completed, but the majority of the pages are not completed. There is an index at the beginning
listing the names of members in the volume. Each member has his own page. A few of the original memorial war sketch forms
are tipped into the volume. A section of the volume entitled Resolutions contains information on the deaths of members.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents

The records of the General D. B. Birney Post No. 63 cover the years 1897 to 1935 and consist of five bound volumes and one
folder. The records are organized into four series: Administrative Records, Financial Records, Membership Records, and Post
History. It is not known how G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library acquired the records or if additional records survived or
existed.

Series I: Administrative Records - This series consists of one minute book. The minutes are of the Post’s meetings from January 7, 1920 to November 20, 1933.
The book ends with minutes that discuss the dispersal of the Post’s funds to the remaining members, but the dispersal of funds
remains unresolved at the end of the volume.

Series II: Financial Records - This series consists of an account book that dates 1932 to 1935. The account book records the general finances of the Post
entered chronologically.

Series III: Membership Records - The Membership Records series consists of a one-volume descriptive book and an abstract of that descriptive book. The descriptive
book entries run from April 1866 to 1885 and contains detailed information on the personal history of G.A.R members, including:
member’s name, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, details on the entry into service and final discharge (which includes
date, rank, company, and regiment), length of service, cause of discharge, the details of his G.A.R. membership, and remarks
(which include death notices or membership ending through leaving or transferring). There are 901 Post members described in
the book, including entries added later on the date of death for most members. The records are a rich source of social and
demographic information on members accepted into the Post.

The descriptive book abstract is a file of typed, stapled, loose-leaf papers with abbreviated entries from the descriptive
book. It is not known whether this is an original Birney Post record or was compiled later. It appears to have compiled in
the early 20th Century. The Abstract is incomplete and does not document all members.

Series IV: Post History: The war memorial sketch books are two bound volumes that record in detail the history of Post members’ service in the Civil
War and their membership in the G.A.R. The first volume dates from 1897 to 1898; the second volume from 1898 to 1899. The
information in the sketch books was originally recorded on a memorial war sketch form, which the Post Historian then used
to compile the memorial war sketch book. The 1897 to 1898 volume contains a hand-written, detailed history of the Post and
is more complete than the 1898 to 1899 volume.

Scope and Contents

The records of the J. K. Taylor Post No. 182 cover the years 1869 to 1929 and consist of thirty-five bound volumes, seven
folders, and one binder. There are also a few items from the Capt. O.A. Luckenbach Camp of the Sons of the Union Veterans
of the Civil War dating from 1920 to 1944. The records are organized into six series and one subgroup that has three series.
It is not known how G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library acquired the records or if additional records survived or existed.

Series I: Administrative Records - This series consists of meeting minutes and adjutant’s reports. The minutes are of the Post’s meetings from 1874 to 1929,
with gaps of missing minutes from 1869 to 1874 and 1880 to 1894. The records following the missing minutes refer to the previous
minutes, but the missing minutes are not with the record group. The minutes are in bound volumes arranged chronologically.
Numerous items are tipped into the minutes, including newspaper articles, invitations, and correspondence.

The Adjutant’s Reports span the years 1881 to 1883 and 1888 to 1889. These are the only years of adjutant’s reports in the
record group; it is unknown if records of other years are missing or never existed. Adjutant’s Reports are quarterly reports
on the state of the Post including officer listings, statistical information on membership, and information on changes in
Post membership for the years listed. The records are loose documents in a folder.

Series II: Financial Records – This series consists of account books, member account books, and minutes of the Committee on Ways and Means. The account
books span the years 1889 to 1903 and are in five bound volumes arranged chronologically. They record the general finances
of the Post. It is not known whether the accounts are incomplete or if no account books were kept before or prior to 1889.
The member account books cover the years 1869 to 1904 and are arranged chronologically in five bound volumes. They record
members’ payments of their dues from their time of joining the post. The member books list names individually and record payments
from the time of joining. The records occasionally record when a member discontinues payment because of death, transfer, or
resignation from the organization. It is not known whether these records continued after 1904, but there are no later records
within the record group. The minutes of the Committee on Ways and Means are in one bound volume and are only for the year
1869. The volume does mention that this is the first minutes, but does not mention whether the group ceased to meet after
1869.

Series III: Membership Records - This series consists of a binder of member applications, a descriptive book, and two volumes of black books. These records
contain some the most important information in the record group. The member applications and descriptive books contain detailed
information on the personal history of G.A.R members. The records reveal social and demographic history of members accepted
into the Post, as well as information on those whom the Post did not accept. The descriptive book is one bound volume that
includes detailed information on the Post’s members. Its entries run from May 25, 1869 to approximately the 1920s and include
the following information: member’s name, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, details on entry into service and final
discharge (which includes date, rank, company, and regiment), length of service, cause of discharge, the details of his G.A.R.
membership, and remarks (which include death notices or membership ending through leaving or transferring).

Black books are records of applicants to the G.A.R. who were rejected for membership. The J.K. Taylor Post No. 182 black books
consist of two bound volumes dating from approximately the 1870s to the 1890s. An internal copy of the black book was kept
at the Post and a copy was sent to the Department. The black books detail the applicant’s name, rank, company, regiment or
vessel, and information regarding rejection or dishonorable discharge, which is preceded by an explanation including which
Post had black balled the applicant, the location and date of rejection, and the general order number as to why the applicant
was rejected. The black balled applicants are listed alphabetically in the volume.

Black books contain a general history of the type of individuals that the G.A.R. did not accept as members and reveal how
selective the organization was in its membership. They also reveal the number of applicants that wanted to belong to the organization
but were turned down.

The member applications binder contains applications to the G.A.R. Post and relevant records accompanying these applications,
such as transfer cards, applications, applications for admission to Soldiers and Sailors Home, Proof of Service Certificates,
and correspondence. There are over a hundred application files within the binder. The applications document the history of
the members of the Post and give details into their lives and military service. Member Applications have no definite start
and end date because the G.A.R. recorded and filed the documents as individual members joined or transferred to the Post.
The G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library maintains all of its Post application records in a separate file. The records are
sleeved, filed alphabetically in binders, and indexed.

Series IV: General Orders – General Orders consist of announcements, instructions, communications, and rules on practice and procedure. They provide
information on how the G.A.R. functioned as an organization nationally, regionally, and locally. General orders communicated
within the G.A.R. Post are post orders, orders communicated from the Department are department orders, and orders communicated
from the national organization are national orders. Collectively, all orders are entitled General Orders. Of the six volumes
of general orders, the first two volumes are seven pages of handwritten Post orders from 1870-1874. The other four bound volumes
are of printed department orders dating from 1889 to 1925, with some gaps in the records.

Series V: Scrapbooks, Correspondence, and General Files – This series contains a variety of documents that the organization compiled or received. There is a one-volume scrapbook
for the years 1879 to 1881 and scrapbook material in five folders covering the years 1880-1890, 1897, 1923, 1942, and 1943
in individual folders. The scrapbooks include photographs, musical scores, receipts, newspaper clippings, correspondence,
memorial programs, outside publications and pamphlets, and program announcements. Some documents pertain to the Capt. O.A.
Luckenbach Camp of the S.U.V.C.W., such as receipts and Memorial Day services. The latter materials extend into the 1940s
and include documents that provide information on the transfer of J.K. Taylor Post’s assets to the Luckenbach S.U.V.C.W. Camp.
Some program announcements are under the auspices of both J.K. Taylor Post No. 182 and the S.U.V.C.W. camp.

The letter book is a bound volume of letters generated or received by the Post from 1889 to 1891. It contains general correspondence
as well as printed matter.

Outside publications include a G.A.R. Services booklet from 1898, a G.A.R. Rituals booklet from 1895, an S.U.V.C.W. Rituals
and Ceremonies booklet from 1920, and a Report of the PA Commission of Soldier’s Orphan Schools from 1917.

Series VI: Post History - This series consists of a chronological listing of events and memorial war sketch forms. The chronological listing of events
is a handwritten history of the organization’s activities in a bound volume. It lists Post events and milestones from its
founding on May 25, 1869 to March 1883.

The memorial war sketch forms provide detailed information on members’ service in the Civil War and their membership in the
G.A.R. The Post Historian utilized these forms to compile a detailed history of each of the Post’s members. This information
would then be entered into a war memorial sketch book. However, there is no war memorial sketch book for the J.K. Taylor Post
No. 182 and it is not known if it was lost or never was written. The forms are the only known surviving record of this information.
The forms are oversized sheets filed in a folder.

Subgroup I: Burial Fund Association – The Burial Fund Association was a sub-organization within the G.A.R. Post (in many posts it is known as the Death Benefits
Association or D.B.A.). The Burial Fund Association was an organization whose members contributed to a fund to aid widows
and children of veterans with burial expenses. The subgroup consists of five bound volumes arranged into three series.

Subgroup I; Series I: Administration – The Administrative Records series includes the constitution, bylaws, and minutes of the J. K. Taylor Post No. 182 Burial
Fund Association. The constitution and bylaws are in one bound volume, which also includes a list of members and addresses,
newspaper clippings, correspondence, and a transfer card. The inclusive years of the tipped in material are 1894 to 1904 and
the minutes of the Burial Fund Association date from June 22, 1894 to January 7, 1910. The minutes include some financial
information and clippings.

Subgroup I, Series II: Financial Records –The Financial Records series consists of a receipt book and an account book. The receipt book records the payments of the
Burial Fund Association from August 4, 1894 to January 21, 1910. The account book is one volume that the treasurer and secretary
used to record the accounts of the Association dating from 1896 to 1910. There are newspaper clippings tipped in the volumes
from 1886, but the majority of the papers date from 1896 and later.

Subgroup I, Series III: Membership Records –The Membership Records series consists of the Death Benefits Association Roll Book, which is one bound volume from 1896
to 1941. The volume presumably lists beneficiaries and descendants of Death Benefits Association members. The recorded information
includes the beneficiaries’ name, age, the date they entered, and the date they dropped.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of records of Joel Searfoss Camp No. 273, including administrative, financial, and membership records,
and records from the Ladies' Aid Society auxiliary. The administrative records include seven volumes of secretary's quarterly
reports 1935-1952; two volumes of treasurer's quarterly reports, 1932-1938; and a minute book, 1948. Financial records in
this collection include check stubs, receipts, a banking book, and cancelled checks. Membership records include membership
applications, sick benefits, and a death book (1919-1970s). There is also some correspondence, and ephemera and pamphlets
including printed rules of the SUV, 1913-1996.

Records from the Ladies' Aid Society/Auxiliary to the Joel Searfoss Camp include minute books (circa 1903-1931), auxiliary
secretary's quarterly reports, and a death benefits ledger. There are also numerous financial records from the Ladies' Aid
Society/Auxiliary, including a cash book, ledger, and check stubs.

Scope and Contents

The records of Post No. 2 consist of 76 bound volumes, loose files, and 21 binders dating from 1862 to the 1950s. The records
are organized into eight series. As one of the nation’s largest and most influential GAR posts, Post No. 2 served as the final
depository for the records of numerous other GAR posts and Civil War organizations when these posts and organizations disbanded.

Series I: Administrative Records - This series consists of the minutes of general meetings of Post No. 2 as well as the minutes of a variety of other committees
and groups within the Post. There is also one miscellaneous administrative notebook. The general meeting minutes cover the
years 1870 to 1944, with a gap of missing minutes from December 24, 1927 to January 9, 1937. The records following the missing
minutes refer to the previous minutes, but they are not with the record group. The minutes are in seventeen bound volumes
arranged chronologically.

Other committees’ and organization’s minutes in the record group include Guard Committee minutes, Committee on Portraits and
Relics, the Post No. 2 Orchestra, the Hall Committee, and the Committee on Improvement of the New Hall. The Guard Committee
minutes span from 1895 to 1906 and consist of three bound volumes. The Guard Committee minute Books are the only committee
and organization minute book with more than one bound volume. Although there are no significant runs of any of the records,
the volumes offer details into the many types of events, groups, and services that the Post participated in while it was in
operation.

The miscellaneous notebook is one volume and contains a variety of administrative details including various post matters and
activities. The date is unknown for this volume.

Series II: Financial Records - This series contains 12 bound volumes and one check stubs book dating from 1887 to 1940. It consists of the assistant quartermaster
general’s account book, cash books, general account books, member account books, a charity book, a Post No. 2 Guard cash book,
an insurance policies book, check books, and check stubs. Most of the records consist of only one volume. The member account
books list names of members individually and record their payments from the time of joining. The records occasionally record
when a member discontinues payment because of death, transfer, or resignation from the organization. The charity book records
to whom and why the Post donated funds for various causes.

Series III: Membership Records - This series consists of membership applications, descriptive roll books, a medical descriptive book, a roll book, membership
directory, an employment book, a cemetery book, burial records, and a copy of a descriptive book. These records contain some
the most important information regarding Post members.

Member Applications are records of individuals’ applications for membership in the Post. The G.A.R. Civil War Museum and Library
maintains all of its Post application records separately from the main body of its archival records. The application records
are sleeved, filed in 20 binders alphabetically, and indexed in a separate binder. In addition to the application form itself,
each file may contain a variety of other records related to the application, such as transfer cards, applications for admission
to Soldiers and Sailors Home, Proof of Service certificates, correspondence, and other documents. The applications contain
detailed information on members’ personal lives and military service and as such are a particularly rich set of records. Member
applications have undefined start and end dates because the G.A.R. recorded and filed the documents alphabetically as individual
members joined or transferred to the Post.

The descriptive books and descriptive roll book are three bound volumes that include detailed information on Post members.
The entries run from 1866 to approximately the 1930s and include the following information: member’s name, age, birthplace,
residence, occupation, details on entry into service and final discharge (which includes date, rank, company, and regiment),
length of service, cause of discharge, the details of his G.A.R. membership, and remarks (which include death notices or membership
ending through leaving or transferring). There is also a copy of the descriptive book that was made in the late 20th century
by an unknown person.

The medical descriptive book is one undated, bound volume. It appears to be from the late 19th century. It lists various injuries
and illnesses members suffered during the War.

The roll book and membership directory were used to keep track of active members and their participation in the Post. The
roll book dates from approximately the 1870s to the 1880s and is in one bound volume. It is unknown whether there are other
books for earlier or later years. The membership directories are three bound volumes dating from the late 19th Century. The
first volume is from Post No. 2; it appears that the other two volumes may not be from Post No. 2 but they are kept with the
record group.

The employment book is from 1897 and is one bound volume. The book documents Post members who were out of work and lists their
skills and trade. The book was not used extensively and only includes records for a small portion of 1897.

The cemetery book, the Burial Places of Our Deceased Comrades, and the burial records are three bound volumes that span the
1890s to the 1940s and document members’ dates of death and burial places.

Series IV: General Orders - Series Four is predominately general orders, which are pasted into bound volumes chronologically, along with numerous other
items such as nominations, circulars, programs, event notices, and correspondence tipped into the volumes. There are seven
bound volumes covering the years 1870 to 1905. General orders are announcements, instructions, communications, and rules on
practice and procedure for the GAR organization. They provide information on how the G.A.R. functioned as an organization
nationally, regionally, and locally. General orders communicated within the G.A.R. Post are post orders, orders communicated
from the department are department orders, and orders communicated from the national organization are national orders. Collectively,
all orders are entitled General Orders.

Series V: Scrapbooks - This series consists of five scrapbooks which contain numerous